Not Celebrating this Valentine's Day? You’re far from aloneBottom Line: I’m blessed to have won the wife lottery with my wonderful wife Ashley. After 11 years together, I’ve never once had to worry about what had previously been one of the worst days of the year for me. I’ll spare you all of the details, but I literally was “cursed” on Valentine's Day by an unhappy girlfriend one year, ended up in an argument that led to a breakup with another and literally was divorced from my first wife on V-Day. You can’t make this stuff up. Anyway, I’ve never been a fan of made up holiday’s anyway and whether you’ve had bad luck, don’t like celebrating or don’t have anyone to celebrate with – you’re far from alone. In fact, half the country is with you.
According to the National Retail Federation, while a record amount of money, $20.7 billion, is being spent on gifts, there are fewer people participating than ever before – with just 51% planning to do so. That’s down 4% from just last year and a whooping 12% from just a decade ago. Maybe we’ve lost that loving feeling or maybe we’re just happy enough with our lives that we don’t feel the need.
Now for those celebrating – there's serious celebrating with all of that money being spent...